Contractible lamp shade



Patented July 13, 1954 Fritz' Faselt; Chicago, Ill., assignor to F & M E`ngineeringz; 00.-, Chicago, Ilm w corporation of' Illinoisa Applicaton May '19, 1953; Serial IND; .355,912.

duction costs' in that they requ-ire the bands to be formed with openings and sli-ts. such opex-:ines and slits are unsigh-tly and tend toweaken the bands.

Furthermore, metallic fittings and particularly chainstendtorattie against the band and* abrade= them during. Storage and shipment. It has also been. found that the Connections between such metallic fittings or chainsand their supportng annulus require removalofi the annulus in order toclean and replace the shade. L

A primary Object of the present invention-is to devise a shade such as above described which is of economical construction and which is formecl and arranged to completely conceal the connections between the bands.

A more specific Object of the invention is to interconnect the bands by ribbons riveted at corners of the bands which may be defined by scallops.

Another object of the invention is to connect the ribbons to the bands by riveting above the lower edges thereof, to completely conceal the ribbons when the shade is expanded in use.

Still another Object of the invention is to facilitate removal of the shade from a lamp to accommodate cleaning of the shade or replacement thereof by a shade of a different color.

The foregoing and other Objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the novel shade in collapsed or closed position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2A is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the shade in open or expanded position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a slight modification.

Describing the invention in detail, a plurality of continuous bands 2 are arranged in telescopic Fig. 1).

relation; each of which'bandsissmal-ler in peof the bands may nest l-oosely; one withinthe other, as' shown'inthe"closed*position of Fi'g. 2,

or* upon Suspension' of thelinnermost* band, as hereinafter described, the bands-'may open to the position shown inFigsr2Aand 3.`

Each band is prefera'biy-ormedmf*a continu- 01-15 strip of metai'or-other'suitable material, the ends of which strip are rivetedtogether a-s* at 4. Thebands may beshaped to-formanydesired figure, but, as illustrated'; they have-'been bent to scalloped configurati'onas-seen in plan view Thus, each band' as shown*- comprises a pair of laterai-scallops wand* -aswel'l asa pair 'of eHds'caIIOpsBand-"I Each lateral 'scallop 5 `is-providedon its *inner surface, at the ends thereof, with seatsfizi and Hi faoing diagonally opposedseats 16 and l8 of the other lateral scallop 6- of the same band 2.

Each seat I-2 is-approximately *paral-lel with the seat IE of the-same'band- 2 and is-also approximately paraliel' with the seats l`2 and lof the other bands 2 for a purpose herenafter described. Likewise, each seat M is approximately' parallel to the seat |8 of the same band, and is also approximately parallei to the seats |4 and [8 of the other bands.

The bands 2 are interconnected by four ribbons 28, 22, 24 and 26. The ribbon 20 is riveted to the seats |2 of the respective bands; the ribbon 22 is riveted to the seats 14 of the respective bands; the ribbon 24 is riveted to the seats IQ of the respective bands; and the ribbon 25 is riveted to the seats la of the respective bands.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the ribbons are riveted to their respective seats above the lower edges of the bands, and the upper end of the ribbons are attached to a support, preferably in the form of a ring or annuius 28 by loops 30 of the ribbons loosely receiving hooks 32 carried by the ring 23.

The ring 28, as shown in Fig. 3, is adapted to receive a threaded stud 34 of a conventional harp 38 of a lamp 38, said stud being provided with a decorative nut 48 to hold the ring 28 on the stud 34.

Thus it will be understood that when the novel lampshad is supported by a lamp 38, the bands drop to their open position shown in Figs. ZA and 3. In this position the ribbons assume their straight-line position without any twisting due to the configuration and arrangement of seats l2, M, 16 and 18. Also the rveting of the ribbon to these seats above the lower edges of the bands 2 accommodates complete concealment of the ribbons by the bands 2 in the expanded position thereof, as best seen in Fig. 2A.

Furthermore, the configuration of the bands not only affords convenient seats for the ribbons but also conceals the riveted connections thereof to the bands.

As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, When the novel lamp shade is to be stored, as for packaging, the bands 2 nest loosely within each other to afford a compact unit. Under these conditions the ribbons, being of soft, preferably non-extensible material, such as plastic, fibre or cloth, do not scratch or rattle against the bands and thus protect them from scratches and abrasions.

Also, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the novel shade may be quickly dissembled from the annulus 28 without disconnecting the nut 40 from the stud 34 as may be desired when cleaning or replacing the shade With one of a difierent color.

This removal is accomplished by slipping the loops w 30 ofi` the hooks 32 Whereupon the shade may be collapsed, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or may be turned inside-out for cleaning.

Fig. 5 is a View corresponding to that of Fig.

, 4 but Showing a difierent attachment of the ribbons to the bands 2, as by riveting at V-shaped faces 42 of corners defined by the bands. such attachment may be used in lamp shades of various shapes as well as the scalloped design illustrated in the drawings.

While the present invention has been explained and described with reference to particular contemplations of Structure and detail, its concept is not to be restricted thereby except as indicated in the hereinafter appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a lamp shade having a generally vertically tapered, stepped form and designed to be positioned in surrounding horizontal light shielding relation around the light source of a table lamp and the like, the combination of a plurality of concentric bands of thin, strip material radially spaced apart from one another for passage of light vertically between adjacent bands, and through the smallest band, and vertically offset from one another to define such vertically tapered, stepped form of the shade and to afiord horizontal light shielding, the combination of a plurality of untwisted flat ribbons of fiexible substantially non-expansible material, said ribbons extending outwardly and downwardly in twistfree fashion and at spaced intervals about the bands in diametrica-lly opposed pairs, each of said ribbons secured by a rivet to all of said bands, at

a point on each of said bands along its inner surface, said points vertically displaced from the lower edges of the bands such as to provide maximum concealment of said ribbons by said bands and to enable said ribbons to extend in substantially straight lines from end to end, an annulus located concentrically of said bands, said annulus provided with a plurality of outwardly extending arms, each of said arms terminating in an open hook, each of said ribbons terminating at its upper end in a loop adapted to loop over one of said hooks, whereby said bands may be suspended from said hooks by means of said ribbons and said bands may hang concentrically of one another and said ribbons may extend in a straight line and untwisted.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bands each includes a plurality of scallops, and wherein seats for said rivets are provided at the junctions of said scallops.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,204,044 McFaddin Nov. 7, 1916 1,334.,739 Cravath et al Mar. 23, 1920 1,718,266 Weissberg June 25, 1929 2,625 ,648 Zenda Jan. 13, 1953 

